Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-14


listened TO the men talking about one Bill
Howe, who it appeared was an extremely
unpopular parsonage employed as cap
tain oi TIA. watch Their conversation
was not of interest to Ben He was soon
asleep: at midnight he was awakened by
the grufI voice OF man who was shaking
the deck hand in the next berth.
Rouse mp. English, rouse up Hustle
out, now Want a man on the lookout.
Come, now. pile OUT
You 60 to ---" said English
The man let him alone. He came to
, Ben : bed
Hello who's this, Pile out here.
young feller You'll do as well as any
body else Pile out, now. Don't lay there
all night
The boy was on his feet in moment
What do you want me 10 do"' he
asked
We'll, you're sweet scented spcci-
men. you are. ' said the man, cycling the
boy disdainfully. Come on with me
I'll soon show You what You We got to do,
you tow headed tramp, you. Where the
devil did you come from, anyway
The deck hand known as English looked
over the side Of his bunk
Look here. Bill Howe" he grumbled,
do you mean ter say you're going ter
put that there Kid out on the 'front.'"
Il mean to say I'm going to do just
what blame please, said Bill
Well. You oughter bc ashamed Of
yourself, you white livered puppy said
the decL hand. with some warmth. I'm
a pretty tough man myself. but dam if
I'm going to see such "A outrage as that
You 90 back to bed. sonny; I'll take your
place
Nav you don't. neither" retorted
Bill You wouldn't come when | called
you, and I'm captain of the gang and
what | say Ioes. aId don't you forget it,
and before English could interfere he had
caught the boy rUdcly by the arm and
pushed him from the cabin.
Kid II he back inside q ten minutes" "
reflected English, when he was through
cursing Bill Howe, and then he dozed OIL
to sleep again.
II was terribly cold on deck. The boy
shivered as the man led him over the
long line Of hargeS Finally they reached
the last barge in front of the steamer
There was a torch burning there in an
iron frame. The man told the boy he
must keep a sharp look ont ahead. and
when he saw Il dangerous drift coming to-
ward them he must signal the pilot by
waving light.
''All ri-right, sir" chartered the boy,
and the man Sworc at him two or three
times and went back 10 the steamer
The storm Of wind and sleet was over
The night was beautiful and still The
deep, measured breathing of the tug away
back in the rear. the crushing of the ice
along the banks and now and then the
howl Of famished wolf from the swamp
lands on either shore only made the frozen
silence more awful and sublime And
above him the stars seemed dOubly bril-
liant through the clear, cold air, and be
fore him WAS the great mad river filled
with flashing. fantastic, ghostly forms
that moved, and changed, and waved and
seemed to beckop him. And il was SC
cold, 50 terribly dtsthly cold
An hour-twO nnyrs went by. The
boy kept his eyes fastened on the river,
but every bone in his frail BODY was
trembling and his face was purple. The
cold hurt him: il was an agony He sat
down on the front Of the barge. Once he
looked back at the headlight of the tug,
back 10 the glowing warmth of the fur
mace.
Il must try and stanc it he kept re
peating To himself. and presently he took
from his ragged jacket a little box, and
opened il. Ii contained n cheap black
breastpin. He had spent his last cent in
q Christmas gift for his mother He
looked at it and il seemed to warm him
The cold didn't hurt him any more. \
pleasant. dreamy sensation was stealing
over him. He thought he would lie down
with his head on his arm. he could watch
the river Just as well. And then-no; he
could not hr dreaming,-by some curious
magic he was at at home and his mother
was with lin. How well he remembered
the bright coy little room, and there
was hi, books and his music just as he
had left them, and on the table by the
window bouquet Of pretty flowers. Ii
must be summer time. because the win
dow was open and the warm air and
glorious sunshine We're dancing in the
room. And how pretty his mother was
as she took him i'll her arms and bent and
kissed him, And he nestled his head in
her bosom. and he felt her warm breath
on his check and laughed with gladness
''Oh. how | love You, pretty mother
murmured happy little Ben. and he was
going to tell Eer about the tug. and the |
captain and the strange forms on the !
river, but il Slipped from him and he for |
got ii. He forgot everything.
The deck hand known as English |
woke from sound sleep. and instantly |
why he could not say-he thought of the |
boy Not finding him in his cot, he |
hastily pat on great shaggy overcOat |
and went forward 10 relieve him from the |
watch. He found little Ben lying with |
his head on his arm, n smile on his lips, |
and in his hand he held his mothers gift. |
but his face was colorless as snow, and |
life had ceased to beat in his heart Eng |
lish bent over him a long time. Then he |
stood up, and, perhaps uuCouscioUsly took |
off his hat.
Hes dead, - said English. in a strange,
soft whiSper.-Don Rudd in Atlanta Con